Christmas ABCs: H through N

H is for Ho! Ho! Ho!

We played "Put the Beard on Santa." I sprayed 2 paper Santa faces with spray adhesive, and Adam and Grace took turns throwing cotton balls to make his beard. This was fun... I was even taking turns FOR them!

I made up this game all on my own. Serious. It's such a professional-sounding game, I know, but I'm an amateur. Trust me.

;)

We also wrote our letters to Santa. Grace wants a live horse.

Good luck with that, Santa!


I is for Ice Wreath

We made an ice wreath for Santa's reindeer to snack on when they visited. I took my circular pan (this pan has an official name, it's just escaping me right now) and filled it with water, cranberries, and sliced oranges.

We let it freeze for Christmas Eve for the reindeer. Hope they like it!


J is for Jesus

We talk A LOT about the Savior and the reason we celebrate Christmas during November and December, but I don't think it can be talked about enough. We talked about Jesus' birth and life, and played a game my mother-in-law made for us a while ago. Each time we landed on a picture, we had to say something about them (i.e. Joseph was a carpenter).

K is for Kris Kringle

We took our first (of many) visits to Santa at the Henderson Winterfest. Adam was being a stinker, so he stayed home with Mike. I took Grace and Josh, and we saw Santa and got to see a fun gingerbread village.

L is for Lights

We went to Ethel M's and saw the lights in the cactus garden. There are so many lights! We drove around and looked at the lights on the houses in the neighborhood's, too.

M is for Manger

We began filled our basket with "service hay" for baby Jesus. We did a similar thing in Primary (that's a picture from our Primary manger) and I love how excited the kids were to serve and put in hay!

N is for Nativity

We went to the live Nativity put on by the Red Rock Stake. It was wonderful. They did SUCH a great job! We have talked a lot about the Savior, watched movies depicting His birth and life, read books, etc. But seeing a live version was incredible. I loved how silent the audience was and how strongly we felt the Spirit, and I LOVED watching it "come alive" for Adam and Grace. It has been my favorite activity we've done so far.

Afterward, the kid's were able to pet the animals in the nativity.

Grace now wants a mule for Christmas.

Unfortunately, our letters to Santa already went out (darn!). There's always next year, though.

;)